Twenty-first Second Chance: X8 Deserted
by RaptorX5
Summary: Max meets up with an X8 who is only a six year old girl. New Character??? Please R+R!!!
1. Deserted

****

The moment that she got far enough from the site of the crash that even her acute senses could not pick up the rank smell she was surrounded. The enemy was everywhere she turned! Moving along the crowded city streets as if they all had an agenda. She knew only that she needed to become inconspicuous. A six year old barefoot, with a bald head dressed in a drab gray hospital gown with a Manticore symbol over her heart was not all that inconspicuous in this new territory. Hostile territory. Enemy territory. The enemy was far too numerous for her training to handle. Overwhelmed she ran her hand over her freshly shaved head and decided to climb to the top of a near by building to hide out. Maybe they'd come looking for her, recover her and save her but it had been three days and no one had come. Perhaps they assumed she was dead and she was on her own just like the X-5's. The X-5's those traitors' deserters of the family who were dangerous and the enemy. She huddled against the ledge of the building this was the first time she'd gone without her medication and a seizure racked her body to the core. It was a myth passed down from generation to generation of Lydecker killing an X-5 for having really bad seizures. None of them had ever had a seizure. She didn't want to die and she feared this shaking would kill her. She'd heard plenty about these attacks but had never had one. Fear was also something new to her. She didn't like it as the world shook around her. Her name was Shade, her designation Beta, the second in command, and her barcode number was X8-823360471508. Manticore had gotten smarter since the escape of the X-5's. Her barcode was on the outside of her left wrist, on the inside of her right wrist was an inferred light sensitive copy of the code that was visible only under exposure to a special light. These barcodes were not as easy to hide and there was no way to remove the inferred one. All of the ten x-8's in her unit had three designations; their barcode number, a letter of the Greek alphabet which told of their rank, and the pet names they had given each other. All their names referred to colors in some way. Obsidian was the Alpha, the CO of the group. Then there was Shade herself. Next came Jade, Violet, Shadow, Ruby, Cole, Hue, Malachite and Tabby the baby of the family. Shade wished one of them was with her now to face the world outside of Manticore. 

Acquiring clothing would be her first priority she needed to rid herself of the Manticore issue gown. Once she stopped shaking she dusted herself off and stood wondering how to go about fixing this problem as she watched people passing by on the street below. Without knowing it the enemy might actually help her out I some way by donating the clothes off their back to her. She searched the street for children of her age without any luck. Then suddenly a coughing fit hit her along with a sharp pain in her side. All the X-8's had an upgrade from the pervious generations, their DNA was not only spliced with Feline DNA but with some kind of fish as well resulting in their having gills as well as all the advantages the feline DNA gave the x-5's. The shots they had received daily at Manticore must have helped suppress the seizures as well as keep their gills lubricated. She needed clothing as well as a bath, shower or a dip in the pool something like that or else she might begin to suffocate. She honed in her sights so that she could see into individual apartments in the building across the way. In one a blonde woman was talking to a bunch of kids. They would be able to supply her with clothes. She trained her hearing in on what was going on inside of the room. 

"That's all for today kids." The blonde woman said. He kids paid her in various ways and began to head for home. 

Shade saw her chance and picked a boy about her size and followed him home. She stole into his room on the second floor after he had left it to go and speak with his mother a foreign word to her, but Shade saw her as the authority figure of the dwelling. She grabbed two pairs of black pants and two long sleeved black shirts. She changed into her new clothes on the balcony and stuffed her gown into a backpack she had also taken along with the spare change of clothes. Then she dropped down to the street and wandered until she got to a high fence with people in uniforms she recognized. 

She ran up to them. "Sir X8-823360471508 reporting in, sir. I'd like to go home."

"Do you have a sector pass?" The soldier at the gate asked.

"A what?" She shook her head. "Sir, no sir."

"Then son I suggest you go home and find your parents you can't pass here."

Stunned and dejected she slumped down against the fence.

*

Max was just returning back to Jam Pony Headquarters after a run when she heard it. 

""Sir X8-823360471508 reporting in, sir."

Her eyes were drawn to a young girl with a shaved head and she pushed her way through the check point declaring she was a messenger and flashing her sector pass then went over to the rejected child. "On your feet soldier." She snapped he order.

The young girl jumped up before she had time to think about where the order had come from. She glared up at the woman who had issued the order. "Why should I listen to you?"

"Because I can help you." The woman smiled and tired to take the girls hand. 

The girl pulled away from the stranger's touch dropping into a defensive stance. "Hands off civilian!"

The woman bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. "Sorry, relax."

The child nodded moving into the at ease positing but didn't let her guard down. 

"Can I talk to you?" The woman asked. 

The child shrugged assuming a face which said `why should I?'.

The woman turned her head slightly and in a movement to quick for the normal eye to follow she flashed the girl her barcode and quickly covered it with her hair. 

"Traitor! Deserter!" The child screamed at the top of her lungs confirming Max's suspicions. "Liar!"

"Quiet!" Max snapped. "Who else can help you? These army jerks sure won't"

The child glared at the woman. ""Ma'am X8-823360471508 Beta, the family calls me Shade."

"Max." The woman extended her hand to the child.

Shade simply stared down at Max's hand. "Designation?"

Max sighed. "X5-332960073452."

"You are an X-5." Shade gasped.

"And you're not _"Max nodded.

"An X-8." Shade said with pride then started to shake a spike of fear registering on her face. 

Max reached out to hold the child, they were already drawing the attention of the sector police. "Come on sis." 

Max guided both the child and her bike away from the checkpoint. Once they were far enough away from the check point Max took a bottle of Tryptophan out of her bag and held a few the pills out to the child.

Shade kept her mouth clamped shut wrapping her arms around herself and just starred down at them.

"It's Typtophan . It helps with the seizures." She offered them to Shade again. 

"T-the stuff in milk?" She shook violently sitting down on the ground the moment Max had let her go. 

"Yeah, just take them." Max insisted.

Shade shook her head. Traitors could not be trusted. 

"It's not going to hurt you." Max offered. "I take them every day."

Still Shade refused.

"Look." Max popped a few into her own mouth and swallowed them down. "There fine nothing happened."

"They r-really h-help?" Shade shook her eyes conveying her fear. 

"Yeah they do kido." Max nodded and still Shade resisted. 

"I'm f-fine." Shade insisted. 

Max hated doing this but if it was the only way then she would have to pull rank o the child to help her. "Take it that's an order."

Shade couldn't disobey an order from a superior. Traitor, deserter, liar or not this Max still held seniority over her. So she swallowed down the handful offered to her and a few moments later the shaking stopped. 

"Thank you Ma'am." She said reluctantly. 

"Now," Max nodded acknowledgement as she hopped back on her bike. "You're coming with me one way or another." Max smirked. "It's you're choice."

"I'm stronger then you are." Shade spoke up. 

Max suppressed a laugh. "I'm sure you are but I still outrank you."

Shade bit her bottom lip. "It's better then being alone I guess."

Max nodded and pulled the child up onto her handlebars. From where she sat Max saw no barcode on the back of her neck. "Shade where's your barcode?"

Shade didn't answer.

Max sighed. "I asked you a question soldier."

"Ma'am it's classif-" Shade held on tightly as they went over a bump. "It's on left wrist." She held it up to show Max and suppressed a cough. 

"Interesting. You okay Shade?"

"Ma'am, yes ma'am."

*

Sitting at his computer Logan heard the door to his penthouse apartment click open. "Hey Max I'm in here."

Max half guided half-forced Shade into the room. Shade coughed explosively bringing a droplet of saliva and blood up and on to her chin. 

Logan spun around surprised at the sound. "Max are you getting _ Hey who do we have here?" Logan smiled at the child. 

"Logan Cale meet Shade my little sister." Max nudged the child forward.

Shade stood where she was glaring up at Logan. "He's a civilian." She gripped.

Logan clicked his tongue. "Another miracle of Manticore technology." He winked. "Nick to meet you kido."

A slight twitch in Shade's cheek was the only reaction he got as the child moved to wipe off her chin.

"Are you okay dear?" Logan asked. 

Shade shrugged stiffly and coughed again a hand moving to her left side.

Max turned on Logan. "I thought you said Manticore was shut down?"

"What I said was that Vivadyne labs and the Wyoming base were shut down not that the projects had stopped."

"Where'd you come from?" Max turned to the child who was still holding her side. 

"Congo air force base." She answered begrudgingly. 

Max reached for the child shirt. "What happened to your side?"

"Nothing." Shade filched away from Max's touch coughing again and wincing despite her protest. 

"Don't lie to me soldier." Max pressed.

"I was being transferred back to Manticore from a hospital facility and a storm blew the helicopter off course and caused us to crash."

"Hospital facility for what?" Logan asked.

Shade remained silent. 

"He asked you a question." Max snapped. 

"I had a gill infection, but I was better and they were taking me back to-"

"Gill infection?" Max grabbed at Shade's shirt and pulled it up to reveal the red swollen gills on the girl's sides. "Shit! Well they don't look much better to me."

"They hurt." Shade confided. 

"Would a bath help?" Logan asked trying to brig an authoritative quality to his voice. 

"It might." Shade shrugged. 

"Gills." Max simply shook her head. 

"They got tired of the X-6's only being able to hold their breath for only six minuets. The X-7's had to spend all their time in tanks of water because of it but we came out just right." Shade grinned proudly.

"The bathroom's through there." Logan pointed. 

After a moment Shade mustered up a softly spoken "Thanks" and then headed off in the direction he indicated. 

*

Once Max was sure that Shade was in the bathroom she spoke up softly knowing the child really wasn't out of earshot. It was hard to speak so that a Manticore child could not hear you when you were in the same building but Max was hopping that the running water would help.

"I can't let her go back even if she wants to it just wouldn't be right."

"What are you going to do?" Logan asked.

"What do you mean?" Max countered. 

"Do you want me to find her a safe house?"

"No." Max said softly. "I don't want her to grow up like I did. I'll understand her better."

"Okay but if you change your mind-"

"Yeah, I know." Max smiled a bit. "What I would appreciate you doing is finding something we can give her so that those gills don't give her no more problems."

Logan nodded. "Her body might actually try and reject them without the Manticore meds. But I'll see what I can do." He turned back to the computer screen. 

Max sighed and looked over Logan's shoulder. "My training didn't prepare me for this. I can't even cook let alone take care of a kid. Logan what am I going to do?"

"I'll help you Max." Busily typing he shrugged. "Besides talking to her and preserving the family."

Max snapped her fingers. "Zack, perfect! Only no it will take like three years to get into touch with him."

Logan smirked. "Not that long" He tossed her the phone "Call Matt, tell him to call Jace, She'll leave Zack your pager number. It shouldn't take too long."

"I just wish I ad an easier way to get in touch with him." Max sighed.

When her pager finally went off Max could tell he had given her a payphone number but at this point she didn't care. "Look Zack I need you to meet someone and it's kind of a life or death matter."

"What's wrong Maxie? Are you okay?"

"I'm alright but you really have to come and see for yourself that's all I can say." She sounded almost apologetic. 

"I'll be there tomorrow night." She could almost hear Zack scowling.

"I'll be at Logan's." Max answered.

"Maybe sooner." Zack hung up the phone.

*

The water felt so good. It soothed her aching gills and made her hyper. She knew it let more oxygen into her blood and that was the scientific reason but she didn't care. Shade had more important things on her mind. Things that troubled her. For being the enemy Max and this Logan guy weren't so bad. They were very nice and she didn't think it was a deception tactic either it seemed genuine. She wrapped herself in a big blue fuzzy robe that had the letter LC monogrammed into it. It was soft and smelt good and felt nice against her skin. Maybe she had died in the helicopter crash and this was the good place. Maybe she was kidding herself and this Logan guy was just really loaded.

"Shade you almost done? Logan made us hot chocolate." Max tapped on the door.

"Just coming out." Shade answered. She was more comfortable in the robe then the clothes she had because it was closer to the gown she was used to, but she didn't think Max would like her wearing the gown. She stuffed the stolen clothes into the backpack she had also taken she headed back out into the main room. Shade bounced from foot to foot then marched in place watching Max drink the Cocoa she'd refused. 

Max looked up at the child. She was making her nervous. "Sit down!" She barked it like and order without meaning to do so and saw Logan jump in his chair still searching for a supplement that might help the girl. 

"But I want to play." Shade sat down next to Max begrudgingly. 

_Play? _As a child Max had never known the meaning of the word. "Like what?"

"Can we use him as prey?" Shade gestured at Logan. "I promise not to hurt him, badly." She was whispering so that only Max could hear her. 

"No." Max said softly but sternly. "Oh, no. You can't play with him."

Shade looked Logan over again bouncing lightly in her seat. "You're right her wouldn't be much of a challenge anyway."

"That's not what I meant." Max snapped. "I don't want to see him hurt."

"Bingo!" Logan turned to Max. "I may have found something. So what were you two ladies talking about?"

"Nothing." Came a clipped simple reply in sync.

"I don't think I want to know anyway." Logan couldn't help but laugh. "I ordered the stuff so it should be here soon. They used it pre-pulse for beta's who had gill infections its called Maracyn." 

"Good." Max nodded. "And thanks."

Shade turned on Max hopping up to her feet. "Let's spar."

"Not in here. I don't want to break anything." Max shook her head and Logan couldn't help but smile.

"Outside then?" Shade hopped from one foot to the other throwing fake punches.

"The roof would work," Logan suggested although he'd rather have seen them fight. "In here's fine really just so long as you are careful."

"No." Max yawned a slight twinge at the back of her skull. 

"Afraid I'll beat you?" Shade smirked.

"No, I just don't feel-" Max began to shake a seizure taking hold of her body. 

Logan turned to Shade. "Go and get her pills."

Shade stood frozen on the spot staring mouth agape at Max.

"Shade, Now!" Logan yelled forcefully going to Max's side. 

Shade took off like a shot, grabbed the pills from Max's bag and was standing in front of Max with a handful before Logan blinked. "Max take the medicine." She tried to force the pills into Max's mouth and Max took the pills swallowing them down dry. 

Shade then did something that surprised all that were present. She crawled her way into Max's lap leaning back against her and wrapping the older girl's arms around herself. She wanted to be part of this in her own way and tried to hold Max still. She looked up at Max and then stared down at the broken mug at her feet. Slowly the seizure stopped taking too long for Logan to bear but Max actually came out of it quicker then she usually did. 

"Max are you okay?" Shade asked compassionately a little bit out of character for the young soldier.

"Yeah I'm fine kido." Max wrapped her arms tightly around the girl. 

"That was a bad one..." Shade said and nodded. It had lasted much longer then the ones she had suffered.

"Actually it wasn't too bad." Max said after looking at the clock. 

Logan nodded in agreement with Max. "Max's seizures are usually much worse."

Shade's face remained clad in that expressionless Manticore mask but her eye betrayed her true feelings of fear. "They get worse when you're older?"

Max nodded. "Actually it gets worse the longer your off the Manticore meds but the Typtophan helps alot."

"I don't like it." Shade coughed.

"It's a fact of life outside the wall." Max answered.

"I want to go back." Shade insisted. "You can't keep me here."

"No." Max said simply. "They think you're dead and if you return you'll most surely be terminated. You've been on the outside too long. They'll think they won't be able to recondition you. You've been tainted, prejudiced." 

Shade stared up at Max taking in everything she said and becoming increasingly frustrated. She began to shake slightly a few lone tears streaming down her face and cried. "That's not fair! You're lying!" She broke away from Max's grasp and began passing the room in order to compose herself. Finally and with some resignation she asked in a dejected voice. "Then what's going to happen to me?"

Max shrugged. "You can stay with Logan and me if you want to but I'm going to discuss it all with Zack."

"You know Zack?" Shades eyes widened. Zack had become some sort of a myth to the x-series still at Manticore much like the seizures and the nomalies.

"Of course." Max scoffed. "He is our CO and I have him coming here to meet you."

"I know he's the CO of the X-5's he lead the escape." Shade looked awed. "He wants to meet me?" Shade couldn't believe it. 

"He's the best choice." Max shrugged. 

"Is it true he runs faster then a normal X-5?" Shade asked excitedly.

"Not really." Max quirked an eyebrow.

"But he can read peoples minds, right?"

"No." Max laughed.

"Can he really pick up an entire building?" Shade's eyes were excited but she stifled a yawn it had been a long few days. 

"No." Max laughed. "Zack's no superman."

"He's got to be able to he carried all twelve of you over the perimeter fence, that's why only twelve made it out." Shade nodded.

"He didn't do that either." Max shook her head watching Shade yawn. "I think it may be lights out time, soldier. You'll see Zack soon enough."

"No." Shade shook her head. "I want to be awake when Zack gets here."

Max laughed. "Is there any shark, bat or night crawler DNA in your cocktail Shade?"

Logan stifled a laugh. 

"Huh?" Shade shook her head confused.

"How often do you usually sleep Shade?" Max smiled at her.

"Two or three hours a night sometimes only everyother night." Shade pulled herself back up on to the couch. 

"Do you know where you are?" Max asked her.

"No." Shade situated herself on the end of the couch so that she was near Logan and next to Max. 

"Do you know where Seattle is?" Max asked.

"On a map, sure." Shade nodded. 

"Alright do you know where Oregon is?"

"At least 1000 clicks away." Shade nodded. 

"How long would that trip take?" Max asked.

"About a day or two on foot Ma'am." Shade yawned for a moment she had been back in geography class at Manticore. 

"That's where Zack is now." Max smirked. "Do you still want to stay up?"

"No. Not really." Shade shrugged. "But I don't want to go to bed yet."

"That's understandable." Logan spoke up. "It's your first night of freedom. We should celebrate. How do ice cream sundaes sound?"

Max licked her lips. "Perfect Logan."

Shade stayed silent and nodded following Max's cue while Logan went into the kitchen to get the sundaes. He came back with a tray with three sundaes on it. Chocolate and Cookies 'n Cream ice cream with hot fudge, whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry. Shade looked from the dish in front of her up to Max for a cue as to what to do. She gathered that she was supposed to eat it because Logan had given her a spoon, but she had never seen the confection before. Logan smiled watching the two of them. 

Max picked up her cherry and put it into her mouth pulling the fruit from the stem. Shade eyed Max and then did the same thing her eyes widening at the sweet flavor. Max realized she was being watched and decided to play a little game with the child. Max put the stem into her mouth and tied it in a knot sticking her tongue out at Shade showing her the product of her handy work. Shade mimicked Max and laughed sticking out her tongue. Max then untied the stem and stuck out her tongue at Shade who followed suit doing the same thing. Shade then took it on her own and double knotted the stem and then showed it to Max sticking out her tongue. Max laughed and mimicked her action before untying it in her mouth and seting the stem on the table on her napkin. Shade did the same thing Laughing. Logan laughed and blushed turning away from the spectacle in front of him. He wondered vaguely if Max knew what this action meant and what its implications were doing to him. He looked away and breathed deeply to calm himself down before reaching for his own sundae.

Shade whispered something to Max and made a few hand signals. Max turned and struck the child softly.

"That was uncalled for Shade." Max said simply and the child laughed.

Logan didn't think he wanted to know what they were discussing.

"He smells excited." Shade whispered to Max so that Logan couldn't hear her. Distinct emotions gave off different pheromones that their noses could distinguish between. Fear was another one that smelt very strong. 

"I know. Ignore it." Max answered in the same tone. 

Max reached for her spoon and began eating the sundae watching Shade out of the corner of her eye. Shade mimicked Max then stopped with the first spoonful still in her mouth. 

"By the grace of the Blue Lady I've never tasted anything so good." Shade gasped her eyes wide. There was the hint of a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. 

"What did you say?" Max snapped dropping her spoon back into the dish suddenly serious. 

"We found her alter and some janitor told us all about her when he saw us with her card. We even left her our baby teeth. There was this history class all about Manticore's previous project. It even covered series X-5 even though you're traitors. There were even some X-5's left to tell us about it, help fill in the gaps. Brin never remembered and thought it was all useless but Braden and Rhea remembered." Shade blurted out in between mouthfuls of sundae.

Max closed her eyes for a moment thinking. "You knew about us?"

Shade nodded. "It's and honor to meet one of you." The end part was said under her breath. Conditioning was hard to break but they had tried to learn everything they could about their older siblings. "Deserter, traitor, liar."

Max shook her head at the words Logan didn't hear. "Do I seem so bad to you Shade? Right now I'm all that's keeping you alive and safe. Manticore is the enemy."

Logan cocked an eyebrow at Max's sudden and seemingly un provoked sopa box podium speech.

"I know, it's hard. We liked you all well enough... "Shade shrugged. "Except the nomies."

"Nomalies." Max corrected her and caught Logan yawning. "When you're done with dessert I think that it's time for you and Logan to get to bed. You can sleep in the guestroom Shade."

"What about you?" The girl asked.

"I don't sleep."

Shade nodded. "Right. You and Jondy and Krit."

"Right." Max sighed.

Logan cleaned up, kissed Shade on top of the head, said goodnight to Max and went into his own bedroom. Shade stiffened at Logan's kiss and then turned to Max. 

"G'night Logan." Shade called down the hallway. "Good night X5-452, Max." Shade saluted Max and went into the guestroom.

"Goodnight Shade." Max shook her head and flopped down on to the couch. 


	2. Adjusting to Reality

****

Two hours later Max's attention was drawn to a rustle inside the apartment. Shade must have been awake and moving around the guest bedroom. Shade marched into the room dressed in her black outfit again and snapped to attention.

"X8-508 Beta reporting for duty Ma'am. Morning duties are complete. The barracks is ready for inspection."

Max shook her head. "Shade there isn't and inspection, duty or mission here and there never will be again." Max laughed softly. "You made up the bed didn't you?"

Shade nodded solemnly and suddenly felt embarrassed. "Where were you going?" Shade had noticed that Max had her jacket on.

"Out for a ride on my babe. It gets boring here at night."

"Permission to come along?" Shade dropped the Ma'am at the end as not to get reprimanded again. 

Max smiled. "Sure you can come along." She handed the girl her helmet and jacket and grabbed Logan's jacket for herself. "Let's blaze."

Max speed along the wind in her hair the young girl's arms wrapped tightly around her waist cursing a road all too familiar to her. Max wanted to share her favorite place with Shade. Since she knew the girl had been to the Blue Lady's alter she figured she might enjoy the top of the space needle as much as she did. The girl squealed happily as the bike gained speed. Max parked her bike at the base of the space needle and hopped off of the bike. Then she helped Shade down even though she really didn't need it and removed the helmet from the girl's head.

"Lets go." Max grinned down at the girl, who looked really excited, she hoped the experience didn't let her down. "Follow me Shade." Max led her up the staircase to the top of the tower. Max stopped at the platform just inside. "Close your eyes."

Shade listened to Max closing her eyes and then opened her eyes the moment she touched her shoulder to guide her outside. 

"Trust me Shade nothing bad is going to happen."

"Promise?" The young girl stared up at her.

"Yes."

Shade closed her eyes again and allowed herself to be guided by Max. Once the got outside Shade froze frightened by the wind whipping her body and slightly surprised. 

"Don't stop yet." Max gave her a small push.

Shade allowed herself to be moved along.

"Okay you can look now." Max said.

Shade opened her eyes and gasped. "By the grace of the Blue Lady, it's beautiful."

Max nodded and sat down. "I come up here to think a lot."

Shade sat down and slid over to Max's side leaning against her and Max dropped an arm around her shoulders. 

"You like it up here?"

Shade nodded silently. Under the weight of Max's arm her shoulders began to shake. It took Max until she smelt the salty tears to realize that the child was crying. "Shade what's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's beautiful." Shade said through her tears sinking against Max.

Max suddenly realized how Zack must have felt when she cried. Max wasn't sure exactly what to do. So she just held the girl and stayed silent until her sobs subsided. 

"Max I really like staying with you." Shade said softly and coughed lightly.

"Is it time for another bath Shade?" Max asked.

"Soon." Shade hugged herself holding her sides and turned to look up into Max's eyes. "But I don't want to leave here yet."

Shade looked out over the city moving closer to Max and leaned up against her sighing. 

"What's amatter Shade?"

"Everything. It's nice outside the wall. It's hard to grasp that everything Manticore told us is a lie. You and Logan are nice you're not the enemy. Poverty is not wrong, evil or disgusting. Oddly enough it makes people happy and strong. It looks pretty from up here."

Max was silent caught in the memories of when she herself had finally come to terms with these truths herself. She had been nine, Shade could only be about seven and it had crushed Max when she had found out. The dim idea that somehow everything she had learned and trusted was wrong. She hated the feeling that her consciousness before the escape had been tainted. It was unnerving and she found herself pulling the girl close who had begun to cry again. Max herself was close to tears. 

"By the grace of the Blue Lady's light and love watch over me dear Lady and Max and Logan and keep us safe in your presence as we try and stay free. Keep us in your grace and watch over all the renegades and our fallen comrades who have know the truth." Shade whispered a prayer. "Max we can go back now if you're ready." She said loudly turning towards Max.

Max was amazed by the young girl's strength and slightly bothered by her strong convictions and faith in the Blue Lady. At some point the girl would be let down by the Blue Lady as Max and Ben had been. Shade stretched and yawned and Max picked her up and carried her back down to the Ninja. Shade stiffened for a moment and then sagged against Max allowing herself to be carried, she really was tired. When they got back down to the ground Max put Shade down and placed the helmet back on the girls head. 

"Hop on and hold on tight." Max ordered her climbing back on to her bike Shade following her.

They returned to Troggle Towers about two hours after they had originally left and the sun was just beginning to come up. Max stole into the bathroom adjoining Logan's bedroom because it had the bigger bathtub and drew Shade a warm bath. Then she snuck the girl into the bathroom careful not to wake Logan. She waited for Shade watching Logan sleep for some time before she went back into the main room and sat down on the couch. Logan was a good man to put up with all he had put up with since he'd met Max.

About and hour later Logan came into the living room without his glasses, his hair sticking up looking very much like a sleepy child. Max couldn't help but laugh even though he did look good.

"Good morning sunshine." Max chirped.

Logan shot her a dirty look; he was not a morning person. "Shade's enjoying her bath."

Max winched. "I told her to be quiet."

"She may have been raised a soldier but she still has the heart of a child. She's playing, splashing around a bit. It's not a big deal." Logan smiled a little.

Max grinned and jumped up from her seat. "I'm sorry Logan. Do you want me to make you some coffee?"

"No. I've got it under control." Logan yawned and started off towards the kitchen. "Good morning by the way."

About half an hour later as Max and Logan were enjoying their morning coffee Shade emerged from the bathroom clad in Logan's monogrammed terrycloth robe. Max found herself jealous only for a moment. Shade tore out into the living room and hopped up into Logan's lap.

"G'mornin Logan." She placed a small kiss on Logan's cheek. The action was over before it had even begun.

Logan humphed lightly as Shade flopped into his lap and then hugged her softly. "Good morning Shade."

Max found herself jealous again because Logan had taken so well to Shade and she to him.

"Are you hungry?" Logan asked.

Shade nodded enthusiastically. "A little." Her stomach growled just as enthusiastically. 

Logan laughed. "How's some cereal sound?"

Shade shrugged softly. She'd never heard of it but everything else Logan had made to eat was good. She trusted him when it came to food. "Can I help you make it?"

"Sure." Logan rolled into the kitchen with the girl on his lap. "It's not too hard."

Alone on the couch Max allowed her mind to wander until the two returned. Max would eventually have to introduce Shade to Original Cindy but first she was too anxious to see how Shade and Zack would react to each other. Max also needed to see what Zack wanted to do with Shade regardless of his decision Max would not let the child go back.

Logan came back into the room with Shade in his lap and a bowl of cereal in hers. Shade hopped off of Logan's lap and sat on the couch between Max and Logan's chair. She ate her cereal neatly a hint of a smile on her face. There was an order to the way she ate that reminded Max too much of Manticore. Max knew she couldn't say anything to the girl about it.

Max sat back and just enjoyed the gusto with which Shade ate her cereal and slurped the milk from the spoon. There was still that nagging cattycorner way that she used the utensil but Max knew it would fade in time, hopefully. It had with her and Logan was being good pretending that it was normal to eat bring the spoon straight up from the bowl and then moving it at a ninety degree angle to your mouth. It didn't seem to bother Logan at all so Max just tired to relax.

Shade tried to make small talk with Logan, which forced Max to remember her sociology training when the young girl began to talk about the weather. The weather had always been taught as a very safe and neutral subject by the Manticore instructors. Max had to try her hardest not to choke on the coffee she was drinking when the girl brought it up. Logan was just glad that the girl was talking to him and kept up the liveliest banter one could produce on the subject of the weather. This was a daunting task considering that it almost always was raining in Seattle. 

Shade paused the spoon halfway along it's course up to her mouth. "Do you hear that?" Her eyes bugged slightly.

Logan shook his head no but Max had heard the sound before the girl had even said anything about it. It was a light rustle outside the penthouse door that could only mean one thing, Zack was right on schedule. Early as usual. 

"Yes." Max nodded.

The door opened and there stood Zack.

Logan shook his head and muttered. "Why do I even bother?" He meant locking the door. "Hello Zack."

Shade jumped up and snapped to attention and simply stared gapingly at Zack.

Zack stared back at the little girl not at all sure what to make of the situation. He gave the girl a curt nod and she saluted him. 

"Sir X8-508 Beta glad to make your acquaintance, sir." She saluted him again.

Zack blink caught off guard and slightly taken aback. "Max?"

"Zack this is Shade. If you couldn't guess she's and X8 who found me or rather we found each other. I ran into her at a checkpoint trying to get home. She was the only survivor of a helicopter crash in route from a hospital back to Manticore."

"Nice to meet you Shade." Zack nodded at the little girl. "At ease soldier."

Shade dropped into the at ease position arms clasped behind her back and then sat down on the couch still staring at Zack.

"This is your life or death situation Maxie?" Zack's eyes widened a little. 

Max nodded. "What else was I supposed to say Zack. I think a Manticore escapee is a bit of a dire situation."

"I didn't escape I was deserted." Shade stood up in protest. 

"Sit down Shade. " Max insisted.

The girl sat down begrudgingly.

"Zack am I wrong?" Max smirked.

"No." Zack sighed and looked down at the girl. "Stand up Shade."

Shade shot a glance at Max who had just ordered her to sit down. Max was a Beta, a SIC like Shade was but she was older. Zack was a CO and even though he was an X5 he outranked her as well as had seniority over both of them. Shade jumped up to her feet a tad slower then normal due to her contemplation but didn't take long enough for Logan to notice any hesitation.

"I said on your feet soldier." Zack snapped just as Shade got to her feet.

"Right." Zack nodded and Max tried to choke back a chuckle. Zack scowled. "Report X8-508."

"Sir on what sir?" Shade responded.

"I already told you how she got out and got here." Max spoke up and Zack shot her a dirt look. Max fell into silence as she realized exactly what he was trying to do.

"I can't hear you soldier." Zack snapped with all the authority he could muster.

Shade gasped and jumped a little. "Sir I-"

"She's only a kid Zack lay off." Logan spoke up cutting her off.

Zack barely had to glance in Logan's direction to shut him up. His eyes were flaming daggers. Zack passed in front of Shade in the at ease position. "You've become sloppy X8-508. Now stand at attention while addressing a superior officer."

Shade gasped and snapped to attention.

"Report on yourself soldier." Zack snapped.

"X8-508, Beta, SIC, the family calls me Shade. My CO was Obsidian X8-499, Alpha. There were twenty eight others-"

"X8-508 are you listening to me?" Zack struck the girl.

"Sir yes sir." Shade snapped frustrated and a little off guard cutting Zack off.

"Insubordination X8-508. Do you know what happens to insubordinates? Report on yourself or else, soldier."

"I'm trying. You won't let me." Zack cut the child off.

"Is that how you address a superior officer? Report."

"My family is a part of who I am and I want to go back to them." She was clearly frustrated had tears in her eyes. "Sir, I mean, Sir my family is a part of who I am and I request permission to go back to them, sir. That is all I want, sir."

Zack dropped the whole soldier attitude. "No you don't Shade. Look at yourself Manticore would eat you up." He shook his head. "I can't let you go back there."

Shade blinked as Zack helped himself to a seat on the couch. For a long time she was silent lost in thought. 

"Interesting tactic showing me my weaknesses. Do you still want to know about the X8 series sir?"

Zack was glad she had relaxed as well she seemed to fit nicely into the little world Logan and Max had created for her over the last few days. She was either adapting very well or using a deceptive tactic but either way it was a push in the right direction for her to return to normalcy. Zack was proud of her since she'd only been in the outside world for a precious few days. "Tell me what you can Shade."

Shade stood up again. "This is the best place to start." She lifted up her shirt to reveal her gills.

Zack's brows furrowed and he starred that the girl for a moment. "Better down time then any of the other X series." He nodded. "Interesting anything else?"

Shade thought for a moment and then ran around the room, literally around it. Up on wall, across the ceiling and stopped in the upper corner of the opposite side of the room holding herself up off the ground. 

Max looked over at Zack and smiled. "Have you ever tried that?"

Zack shook his head no.

"Well it doesn't work." Max said. "You know we can run up walls and flip off of them but nothing else works."

"Spider DNA?" Zack asked.

"Or fly or something like that."

"Impressive." Zack simply nodded. "You can come down now Shade."

Shade relaxed her arms and let herself drop down to the ground landing gracefully on her feet. Logan starred and whistled but didn't know what else to say or do. He was dumbfounded. 

"Reaction times are all quicker then pervious generations. Faster adaptation to situations. Quicker learning time a completely photographic memory." Shade shrugged. "Standard upgrades I guess."

Zack nodded impression etched in his features. "I would like to check that out. Do you feel up to sparring?"

The girl nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! I'd like that very much." She hopped around the room excitedly.

Logan emerged from his silence this was something he didn't want to miss. "There's a storage room in the basement that isn't being used right now."

"Prefect." There was a new light in Zack's eyes. 

"Let's go." Now even Max seemed excited.

Huddled in the elevator Shade stood there humming Cadences, the tune of an old marching song and Zack decided to put words to it.

"They strapped me down in to a chair." Zack yelled out the words. 

"They strapped me down in to a chair." Shade and Max parroted his words in sync.

"From then on I had no hair."

"From then on I had no hair."

"There's no reason for looking down."

"There's no reason for looking down." The two girls were smiling and Shade started to march in place. 

"There's only shame upon the ground."

"There's only shame upon the ground."

"I march and hold my head up high."

"I march and hold my head up high." The words took on a strange connotation as Logan tired to join in on the fun. 

"Pray I succeed and I won't die."

"Pray I succeed and I won't die." Logan dropped out at the morbid subject his voice fading out.

"I left my parents at the door."

"I left my parents at the door." Logan wondered how they could sing about things they knew nothing about and stay ignorant about it.

"I care about my squadron more."

"I care about my squadron more."

The elevator dinged and they had come to rest on the underground floor. Logan lead the way out of the elevator and in to the unused room. He flicked on the lights. There was a few circles painted on the floor and padded mats on the walls. Logan spread his arms wide. "Welcome to fightclub." But his pre-pulse reference was lost on the three. 

Max seemed hurt. "Logan how come you never brought me down here before?"

"There didn't seem to be any reason to."

"Right." Max sighed. 

Shade was busily exploring the unfamiliar territory but Zack had frozen in the center of one of the circles. 

"Square off." Max also heard it in her head and moved to square off with Zack.

Zack nodded he too was stuck in some sort of flashback this room was very reminiscent of the rec. rooms where they had spared in Manticore. Shade must have seen/felt it too because seeing the two square off she moved to the front of the room and began calling off instructions. Zack and Max displayed the skills first before sparring with each other in a real context as any normal sparring time would have gone. Logan sat back and watched them transfixed. It went on for too long and Logan spoke up.

"Weren't you supposed to be testing Shade?"

Max and Zack froze and shade blinked all snapping out of their collective flashbacks.

"Max shade square off." Zack snapped.

Max smirked. "Sizing up the competition Zack?

Zack shrugged. "She's already seen us spar it's only fair."

Max sighed. "Let's go kid."

"Begin." Zack snapped.

Before Max could make a move she was on the ground her breath knocked out of her Shade looming above her. 

"Firetruck!." Max swore and shook her head angered more that she had picked up one of Normal's words then the fact that Shade had taken her down.

"Let's go again." Max hopped up to her feet without using her hands. 

Shade squared off with Max and this time being on guard Max went move for move with the child three rounds before Shade tried to swipe Max's feet out from under her. Max jumped and Shade caught her foot as she touched the ground again. 

"Damn." Max hit the ground and Shade was all smiles 

"Adaptive." Shade nodded as she offered Max a hand up.

Max stood panting. "Wanna go again?"

Shade didn't answer her but simply squared off again hopping from foot to foot. This time Max managed to take the child down. She offered Shade a hand up and fell for a trick she used to use to take down Zack. Shade took her hand then flipped and pinned Max. 

"You're next X5-599." Shade grinned.

Zack squared off with her. "Let's see what you've got."

Max stood in front of them and made a hand signal and on her command the two began to spar. Shade took Zack down twice on the third start Zack took Shade down before she had a chance to make a move.

Shade hit the ground hard. She lay on her back the wind knocked out of her. She swore and rubbed the back of her head, which had struck the ground. She was seeing stars. "By the grace of the Blue Lady!"

"What did you say?" Zack choked where he stood and in a moment was holding the child up in the air by her shoulders. 

"You heard me perfectly well." Shade answered. 

"Where did you learn that from?" Zack screamed and turned to Max shooting daggers from his eyes as he glanced at her and gave Shade a slight shake. 

"H-History class and we found her alter," Shade was frightened by the sudden look of rage in Zack's eyes "Brin didn't tell us much but Rhea did she was full of stories, sir."

Zack put the young girl down and began to pass the room. "I don't like this."

"We left her out baby teeth like we were supposed to _" Shade tried to rectify the situation.

Zack spun away from her and struck the nearest wall Max pounced on him from behind and pinned him before he could do anymore damage.

"Chill out Zack." She bit off her words sounding like she was issuing an order.

Zack starred up at her. "Max this isn't right."

"What do you expect Zack? You remember the mission they sent us on to find out about the X2's? What was it Lydecker used to say? The past is the path to the future so long as you don't repeat it."

Zack nodded. "They taught them about our mistake so that they wouldn't think about escaping."

"Exactly." Max answered rolling off of him. "You're okay now?"

"Yes. Well she is quicker then us." Zack stood up helping Max to her feet and turned to Shade and Logan. "Let's get out of here the point has been proven."

There was no singing of cadences on the way back up to the penthouse. There was a great silence in the room as the true gravity of the life or death situation came bearing down on Zack. Shade's knowledge of Manticore was frightening and a horrible liability for her. Zack finally understood why Max had called it a life or death situation. Shade could be killed for her knowledge. 


	3. New Rules & Second Chances

**Inside the penthouse apartment again Shade approached Zack **

"Sir are you angry with me sir?" She asked softly snapping to attention.

Zack looked down at the little girl, so young, so sheltered just searching for some kind of praise coming from a superior. "Not really soldier."

"Explain." She snapped.

"It's dangerous for you to know so much." Zack said and flopped into a near by chair. "I'm worried about you."

"I'm a liability." Shade looked down at the floor.

"No." Zack didn't know what else to say.

Max and Logan just looked on.

"I am." Shade said with conviction. "And I'm sorry. I understand now why Max needed you here. Are you going to terminate me?"

Zack had not even thought about the possibility and he was shocked. 

"No." He shook his head almost laughing. "Come here Shade."

Shade climbed on to Zack's lap.

"You're part of the family now. That makes me you big brother and your protector and that's why I'm here." He said as softly yet still firmly as Zack could muster though he still looked a little uncomfortable holding the child. 

"You're my CO now?" Shad looked up at Zack. 

"Yes." Zack nodded.

"Obsidian has no authority over me now?"

"No. Especially not if you run in to him on the streets if you do you fight and you run Shade." 

Zack nodded. "Exactly and that goes double for anyone still affiliated with Manticore. They are the new enemy."

"So, you both have authority over me even though Max and I have the same designation because you're older?"

"Yes." Zack nodded again.

"What about Logan?" Shade turned to look at him.

Logan blinked he wasn't sure how he fit into this situation so he waited for Zack to answer the question and was surprised by what he heard. 

"If I'm not around Max is the ultimate authority but you have to listen to Logan too. Logan's a good gut he helps protect Max while I'm away and he'll do the same for you." Zack answered not entirely sure how much Logan protected Max rather then putting her into perilous situations but it sounded good.

Shade nodded a brief smile on her face. She could tell by his body language that Zack was uncomfortable with her on his lap so she hoped down and went over to Logan sitting by his feet. She seemed very subdued but also in need of some human contact. Or maybe she just appreciated the Max and Zack needed to talk.

Zack looked almost uncharacteristically upset by the fact that the little girl had left him but he took the cue and signaled to Max to follow him into the guestroom.

"What are you planning to do with her Max?" Zack asked the moment she had shut the door behind her.

"Keep her of course." Max nodded. "I don't see any alternative plus I like her."

"There are always alternatives Maxie I could take her" Zack left his answer open-ended.

"Or Logan could put her into foster care but I'm not about to let that happen either." Max shook her head.

"She's a good kid." Zack added. "I'd almost forgotten what it was like right after we got out, or at least I tried. I want to stay with you two for a while if that's all right with you and Logan."

"That was kind of the plan Zack she needs strong people around her right now." Max actually smiled at Zack. "You're not growing soft in your old age are you Zack?"

"Of course not Maxie you know I never change." Zack drew himself up proudly.

"Don't kid yourself Zack I saw you with her." Max smirked.

"She reminds me so much of us." Zack shook his head. "It's like we almost get a second chance to help ourselves adjust to life outside Manticore."

"In a way we do." Max nodded.

"When I leave I'll give you the contact number. I don't want to loose touch with you two."

"It's going to be hard Zack." Max moved closer to him so that she could speak softer.

"I know. She's going to have it harder then we did."

"No Zack it won't be harder just different." Max shot back at him. "Easier in a way because she does have us."

"We should still give her a choice."

"Given a choice she'd go back." Max shook her head. "She didn't decide to break out she was deserted Zack it's different."

"She wasn't deserted Maxie come on you know Manticore too well. The helicopter crash was some elaborate way to terminate her."

"You don't know that Zack and stop you know she can hear you."

"She does seem happy here." Zack offered.

"It could be her upgraded adaptation skills or a deception tactic Zack. I don't want to see her flee." Max's face conveyed her concerns.

"I don't think she will." Zack said truthfully. "Let's get back out there we may have left Logan to the wolves."

When they went back into the main room they saw Logan and Shade at the coffee table he was teaching her how to play chess. Max laughed and just sat back and watched it was just the way she'd taught her to play. Chess seemed to be a way for him to deal on an intellectual level with the X series. Logan turned to Zack.

"You ever play?"

Zack shook his head no but he had been watching Logan teach the girl. "I should be able to pick it up."

Logan nodded and went back to teaching Shade finishing explaining the rule of the game. Shade's first game with Logan was a stalemate which surprised Max who had always beat Logan but with them it was usually about more the just the game.

"Maxie do you want to play a game with me?" Shade asked. 

"Sure." Max took Logan's place at the table sitting on the floor across the table from Shade. 

It was a long game but Max finally beat the young girl who took her defeat gracefully.

"How about you big brother?" She grinned at Zack. "Do you want to play?"

"I'll try." Zack took Max's place.

"There is no try soldier only do." Shade snapped at him.

"Be quiet and set up the board." Zack smirked. "I thought you wanted to play."

Shade beat Zack in a few simple moves.

"You're not really trying." Shade pouted.

So Zack set up the board again remembering all that Logan had said as well as what he had learned from the three previous games. They played a long game until Zack got Shade into check she countered and in one move had him in checkmate. . The game thus ended in a stalemate. By the time the game was over Shade was back to her small fits of coughing. 

"Time for a bath?" Logan asked her.

"No I'm okay." Shade shook her head defiantly.

"Shade go take a bath and I'll make us all lunch." Logan tried to pacify the situation.

"It sounds like a good idea to me." Zack spoke up "Don't make me order you Shade." He threatened.

"Okay, okay I'll go." Shade turned and trudged into the bathroom. 

About ten minuets later the three were making small talk in the kitchen when Zack stopped Logan mid sentence.

"Do you hear that?" Zack asked.

Logan heard Shade splashing around the same sound that had woke him this morning. "Chill out Zack she's only playing." Logan answered. "Normal children tend to do that."

"No." Max hopped up from her seat. "Something's not right."

Max and Zack were in the bathroom before Logan even blinked. Shade was completely submerged and in the midst of a seizure. There was no fear of her drowning because of her gills but they had to break the seizure.

Zack froze in the grip of a flashback. It was the time when they were in the submersible tank and the release mechanism on the chain that tethered Jondy to the bottom had malfunctioned. They had already been down for five minuets. When Zack reached the surface of the pool he took a deep breath and a head count. They were missing one soldier. Zack panicked and looked down there was Jondy still chained to the pool floor equally panicked and desperately fighting her bonds. Zack dove back down to where she was and `kissed' her giving her some much-needed air and then he went to the bottom of the pool to tug on the chain that held here there. The chain gave way six and a half minuets after the exercise had started. Zack head butted Jondy in the back who took the cue and fled to the surface gasping for air. Jondy had been okay and had been lucky that Zack had been there to give her some air even though Zack didn't believe in luck. Jondy had come out of the exercise extremely frightened but otherwise unsacred except for her developed persistent fear of the pool or almost any water. 

Max had no such hesitation and reached in with both hands to drag Shade from the tub. Logan came into the bathroom just as Max pulled Shade from the tub. Max had no real fear of Shade drowning because of her gills but they needed to break the child of her seizure before she passed out. Max held the girl close trying to talk her out of the seizure. 

"Zack." Max snapped. "Zack? X5-599 Logan keeps an emergency bottle of Typtophan in the medicine cabinet, we need it now!"

Zack snapped alert and went to the cabinet tossing Max the bottle,

Max forced a handful into Shades mouth but the child was too far along the cascade of the seizure to swallow more the half of them. "Logan we're going to need that other medicine." Max held the unconscious child and wrapped her in the towel Logan offered her. 

"It's on rush order it should be here by tonight." Logan assured her.

Max made Shade comfortable in the guestroom of and then joined the other in the main room of the penthouse. 

"What the hell was that Zack?" She snapped.

Zack was still pretty shaken up and responded with a simple word. "Jondy."

Max's eyes widened and she recalled the event in question and understood. "How is she anyway?"

"Safe and secure." Zack answered before he caught himself and Max smiled.

"Good to know." She nodded. "So do you think Shade warrants an X-5 reunion?" Max knew she was pushing but it was worth a try.

"You know that's not a good idea Maxie." Zack answered but by the look on his face Max could tell he was considering it. "It definitely qualifies as need to know information. 

"I could help organize it." Logan offered. 

"I've got the contact number for that." Zack answered. "There's no need for `Eyes Only' to further put himself at risk."

Logan nodded and accepted his defeat.

"So Zack there's you and me, Ben, Jondy, Tinga, Krit, Zane and Syl who else made it out?"

Zack sighed. "Brin and Rhea were recaptured." He answered hesitantly. "Then there's Kaya and Bradon."

Max smiled. "So that makes ten out of the original twelve?"

Zack shook his head. "Out of the original thirty but that was cut down to twenty-seven before the escape."

Logan and Max tisked at the sadness of that statistic.

"So once we get Shade stable_" Max started.

"Maybe." Zack cut her off. "Don't get your hopes up too soon Maxie."

"So now what? Logan asked the logical question that was hanging in the air. 


	4. Compromises and Information

****

"Now." Zack said sternly. "Now we wait on your miracle drug, then we get Shade stable and after that." Zack shrugged. "Who knows?"

"I presume you'll be staying here?" Logan turned back to Zack.

"You presume correct unless it becomes some sort of inconvenience." Zack made a sour face as he repeated the word presume. 

"I don't mind for now. I figured you'd be staying here until Shade recovered." Logan nodded.

Max's pager went off and she swore. "Damn Normal don't you know I have today and tomorrow off?" She questioned the air.

"He's probably calling to chastise you about disappearing on Friday." Logan answered.

"Well in that case he can wait until Monday to yell at me when I clock in. I'll just tell him I had a family emergency."

"He's going to start wondering why you have so many of them." Logan joked.

Max's pager went off again and she swore. "Well at least I know it isn't you trying to blow up my pager." She winked at Logan. "Doesn't Normal ever give up?"

"I'm actually surprised he waited this long." Logan spoke up.

"That man's almost as annoying as Lydecker but in a more subdued way." Zack put in his two cents.

Max actually glanced down at her pager. "Oh, it's Original Cindy! Logan can I use your phone?"

"It's at your disposal Max." Logan answered thinking that so was he same as always.

"Thanks." Max dialed her home number and the phone was answered on the first ring.

"Max?" Original Cindy sounded panicked.

"Hey Original Cindy." Max smiled.

"Where ya bin Boo? My hopes are you didn't answer my pages because you were shacked up somewheres with Wheel-boy but I was worried that those black helicopter guys got a hold of ya since you disappeared and all. So what's up?"

"Well I had a bit of a family emergency."

"God Boo what happened?"

"I found my little sister and Zack came back."

"Sam? Zack? Whoever he is that boys a pain in the ass always bringing trouble. But I thought you were the youngest?"

"I was of our group but this is different. I might stop by with her tomorrow if she's feeling up to it."

"That sounds nice. Hey listen I wasn't the only one who flipped when you disappeared. Normal went nuts too."

"So I'll have to beg for my job back on Monday. No big dealio. It's not like I haven't done it before."

"True, true. Listen Boo Original Cindy's just glad to hear you're in one piece. Tell the sibs and Logan hi from me. My booty's gotta get back to work but maybe you'll feel up to kicking it at Crash tonight."

"Maybe Cindy I'll have to see it all depends on how the little ones doing."

"See ya."

"Late Boo." Max hung up the phone and turned away from the window.

Zack scowled at Max. "You plan on parading her around?"

"No I plan on introducing her to my extended family she already knows the two most important people in my life. If she's going to stay with me she's going to meet them eventually.""

Zack growled. "You are incorrigible Maxie."

"They made me that way!" Max snapped.

Zack couldn't hide his smirk. "Right Max just blame it on your screwed up genetics."

Max laughed. "I don't make excuses; excuses cover up weakness Zack. It's just the way things are."

Zack nodded. "Like Manticore being evil."

"Or my being trapped." Logan tapped lightly on the arms of his chair.

"Right." Max said so softly even Zack could barely hear her.

"This is a mess." Logan stated.

"Everything associated with Manticore usually is." Zack added.

"She's a good kid." Max added in defense.

Zack nodded in agreement. "So are you going to join Original Cindy and the gang at Crash tonight?"

Max smirked. Zack's question was his way of telling her he'd overheard the entire conversation she and Cindy had. "Only if Shade's feeling better by then."

"I could baby-sit." Logan offered.

"I'm not a baby." Shade protested rubbing her eyes with balled up fists. She stood in the hallway shaking softly and was extremely pale. "I haven't had a watcher for almost three years."

Max turned and scooped her up and laid her down on to the couch. "You need to rest Shade." She may have sounded stern but she was very glad to see the child conscious again. Max turned to Zack. "Maybe if her medication gets here by a reasonable time we can all go down to Crash tonight."

"I have alot of work to catch up on. Logan gracefully turned down the invitation appreciating that the three might need some 'Family' time alone tonight.

"I wouldn't be welcomed." Zack bristled and turned away aware of his ex-co-workers feelings towards him from what he'd overheard. 

"Don't be silly Zack, sure you are. Infact I'm sure Sketchy would just love another chance to lose to you in a bike stunt contest."

Zack hid a grin. "I don't know Maxie."

"Come on big brother I want to go." Shade pleaded.

"Where?" Zack smirked not being able to help himself.

"To wherever you and Max are going to go. That Crash place." She nodded blinking rapidly to clear the sleep from her vision and winched a hand flying to her side. She began another coughing fit and when it was over she pleaded. "Please Zack?" She batted her eyes maybe she was just tying to clear her vision but either way it worked on Zack.

"Alright." Zack grinned. It seemed he'd do anything to see these girls happy. "Only if your medicine comes and you're not too tired."

"I'm like Krit I don't sleep alot." Shade nodded. 

"Maybe tonight but not all the time." Zack nodded.

"Why not?" Shade asked.

"Because litt-"Logan cleared his throat and started again. "Kids your age usually don't go out too late."

"And we still need you to keep a low profile." Zack said.

"Why?" Shade asked.

"Think of it as a covert mission. Normal people can't know what we are or they-" Max started.

"Or we'd be in big trouble." Zack interrupted.

Shade nodded that made some sort of sense they didn't want to be attacked or become science experiments by people who were scared and didn't know what they were doing like Manticore had. 


	5. Crash, Bash ... Boom

****

Shade was asleep on the couch, Max was still convincing Zack to come along to Crash and Logan was working on some research for an Eyes-Only project when there was a knock at the penthouse door. Max flew to the peep hole with Zack on her heals. No one ever knocked and never this late. Max looked at Zack who nodded that he was ready for whatever was on the other side as she opened the door. Max opened the door and was met by a man in a rival messenger services uniform. A fly by night place. 

"I have a package for this address and I need a signature from a," He checked his clipboard, "A Logan Cale."

Logan rolled up behind Max. "That's me." He took the slip and signed it and then handed it back to the delivery guy. 

Max snatched the package from the guys hands, thanked him and then shut the door.

"What's supposed to be in it?" Max asked Logan while she inspected the package.

"A medication called Maracyn. It was something that pre-pulse was used by people with fish tanks to help sick Betta's get over gill infections and fungal infections." Logan said.

"I'ma Beta." A sleepy shade mumbled.

"No. It's a Siamese fighting fish." Logan laughed. 

"Yeah but I'ma Beta, SIC." Shade protested in her sleep.

Logan laughed and watched as Max read the instructions.

"I guess we should let it dissolve in the tub and leave her in there for a while because with the fish it's supposed to be left in the tank and it clearly says harmful if ingested." Max summarized the entire pamphlet. 

Zack stood over Shade and snapped his fingers. Shade bolted awake and shot up snapping to attention. 

"You're horrible." Max swatted at Zack and laughed at the confused look on Shade's face.

"It's bath time kido." Zack pulled her up to her feet.

Shade looked like she would protest and Zack continued. "It'll make you feel better."

"Then we can go out?" Shade asked excitedly.

"Yes." Max spoke up. "Then we can go out if you're feeling up to it."

*

Max walked into Crash followed by Zack who was carrying Shade. Once they got inside Shade wriggled out of Zack's grasp and ran after Max who headed towards her usual table at the back where all of the Jam Pony messengers were. Max sat down in a chair and Shade scrambled up into her lap wary eyes scanning the bar's occupants. Zack spun the chair next to Max's around and straddled it crossing his hands along the back. 

"Sam my man." Sketchy raised his beer in a greeting.

"Hey Boo." Original Cindy looked up and smiled.

"Hey guys." Max answered. 

"It's Zack actually." Zack spoke up softly for Zack.

"Huh?" It was Herbal who voiced what Original Cindy and Sketchy were both thinking.

"Let me explain." Max jumped in. "Original Cindy, Sketchy, Herbal," she pointed to each as she spoke, "This is my brother Zack and my little sister Shade."

They all said hello to Shade who simply nodded and then hung her head. Max felt her tense and leaned in to whisper to Shade.

"It's okay Shade, these are my friends just like Logan."

"Hello." Shade said softly still not taking her eyes off of the tabletop. 

"I still don't get it Sa- um- Zack what gives?" Sketchy asked.

Zack sighed and cleared his throat. "I figured a new place a new start. I didn't just want to get a job because of my relation to Max. Plus-" He turned to Max. "I didn't want to bring up too much of the past."

"It was a matter of security." Shade said with the force of an order behind her voice. 

Max winched and produced a false shudder. "We had a pretty bad family life."

"Oh." Sketchy answered leaving it at that. Original Cindy already knew about Max's past and Herbal didn't want to bring up anything that would cause Max any discomfort. Thankfully the entire line of conversation was dropped. Sketchy poured a beer for both Max and Zack and handed it to them.

Original Cindy turned to Shade seeing her uncomfortableness and tried to draw her into the conversation. "Hey sugar pie." Original Cindy waved at the young girl.

Shade retreated farther from everyone else and closer to Max reaching out for Zack's hand. She looked like she was ready to jump to her feet and run out of there at any moment. 

Original Cindy laughed softly. "You don't have to play shy in front of us Lil'boo.

Original Cindy don't bite."

Shade cocked her head at the woman's comment along with the fact that she spoke in the third person but still said nothing. At least this time she had looked up from the table. 

"You have very pretty eyes Shade." Sketchy threw the young girl a complement.

Shade only blushed and fiddled with her hands that were in her lap. She tugged softly at the end of the sleeves of her shirt. 

"Isn't it a little late for such a little girl to be out?" Herbal asked hoping to get a rise from the girl. 

"I am not little." Shade jumped up to her feet standing rigid with her fists clenched at her sides. "Tabby was the baby of the family." She mumbled as an afterthought. 

Max winched and came to Shade's rescue. "Shade's got the Guervera family curse, we're all creatures of the night. Plus she took a really late nap today." Max reached out to grab Shade's shoulder. "Sit down Shade."

"That was Logan's fault." Shade protested. "He made me take a nap."

"It's okay." Max said softly.

Zack smiled and covered it up by chugging some of his beer. He like how Max had adapted her birth mothers last name to include them all. It would have been more amusing had she used Lydecker, more fitting too. Max caught Zack's grin and relaxed returning the gesture and hoping that Shade would catch the vibe they were both giving off. More then a few pitchers later for the grown-ups Shade still hadn't relaxed anymore. The adults save Max and Zack were all feeling the effects of their drinks by the time Sketchy stood up. 

"Zack I challenge you," He stood up and pointed his finger in Zack's face, "to a set of bar top bike stunts! Do you accept?"

Shade jumped in Max's lap and Max had to hold Shade back from getting up to defend Zack. Max wrapped her arms lightly around the girl. Original Cindy picked up on it.

"Hey sugar pie don't mind Sketchy. The boy just gets loud sometimes."

Shade nodded softly and then snapped back defensively. "I wasn't scared."

"No one said you were sugar pie." Original Cindy reassured her. 

"So? You man enough to take my challenge?" Sketchy stepped right up in Zack's face.

Shade put her hand on Zack's knee as a reminder that she had his back if he needed it. Zack patted her hand to tell her it was alright. Zack then tensed and chugged a full mug of beer and then slammed it down on the table as he shot up to his feet.

"You're on." Zack was all smiles. "Go get the bikes."

Sketchy went to go get the bikes while Herbal, Original Cindy, Max and Shade moved to the bar. Max turned to Shade who was sitting on the bar stool next to her.

"You're safe here." Max whispered. "These are all my friends. Zack wasn't really challenged. Just relax."

Shade shrugged stiffly as her eyes darted around the bar, never letting her guard down.

Herbal got another pitcher of beer and while the bar tender was there Max grabbed him and asked him for four shots of vodka. Max said cheers to Original Cindy and Herbal. While the two took their shots Max took a shot glass in each hand. Max did one shot and handed the other to Shade. Shade copied Max's motion and took the shot so fast it looked like the second glass never left Max's hand. Max put the two glasses back on the bar just as Original Cindy and Herbal finished their own shots. Shade made a sour face and fought back the urge to gag and Max laughed as Zack and Sketchy hopped on to their bikes on top of the bar. 

The whole thing was over in under a minuet. Max wasn't worried about anyone having seen it besides Zack who was preoccupied when it happened. Max knew she didn't have to worry about Shade appearing any different to anyone because even though she was young she still had the drinking tolerance of an X-5, probably higher actually. The change in Shade wasn't really noticeable and Max was hoping that the shot would have helped to loosen the child up. Max gave her the bottom of her mug of beer which Shade finished in two big gulps. This Original Cindy caught and shot Max a playful punch in the arm.

"Hey." Max shrugged. "It's only a sip it wont hurt her."

Original Cindy only laughed and shook her head, then she offered the bottom of her own beer to Shade. Shade shrugged and drank that down too. "Starting her off right ... Original Cindy sees how it is."

It started off with Zack and Sketchy both up on the front wheels of their bikes doing kickstands. Zack spun his bike around in a circle coming up off of his seat and then began to hop on his front wheel. Everyone in the bar was clapping and cheering, everyone that is except for Shade who sat there stoned faced and serious. 

"Shade it's okay." Max elbowed the girl in the side, aiming high as to not hit her gills. 

Shade snapped out of her ravine of thought. She had zoned her hearing in on a conversation that was taking place in the back corner of the bar. There sat a woman, her daughter and her older brother. The woman had just made the introductions between the man and the younger girl. Shade heard the woman call the man big brother. Then the woman told the girl to say hello to the man. The girl said; 'Hello Uncle Mike.' Shade looked from Max, down at her hands which were in her lap and then up at Zack. Zack was their big brother, but more Max's. Zack rode from one side of the bar to the other, careful not to knock into Sketchy, and when he reached the end of the bar that came up against the wall he used it to flip the bike. Zack and the bike pulled a complete 360 degree mid-air flip before he landed the bike on it's rear wheel back on the bar. He casually hopped the bike on it's rear wheel. 

The crowd that had gathered around the bar was on it's feet. Shade bounced on her bar stool. She started to clap loudly a grin breaking it's way to the surface and spread across her face as Sketchy rode to the far end of the bar to try and copy Zack's stunt. Zack allowed himself to smile because he knew that with that move he had won the stunt challenge. 

"Yay Uncle Zack!" Shade yelled still clapping wildly.

Over the din of the crowd Max looked down at the little girl her eyes brimming with tears. She had hear what Shade said and she didn't know weather to laugh or cry. That was sooooo cute! Shade had finally come out of her shell. 

Zack heard it too. His eyes bulging slightly in his head. He turned in complete surprise to look at the little girl. No one except for Tinga's son Case had ever called him that. In his surprised and slightly buzzed state Zack toppled off of the bar, bike and all, landing in a heap on the floor. 

"Good job sugar pie." Original Cindy patted Shade on the back laughing.

Max let her tears flow then but this time they were accompanied by peals of hysterical laughter. 

Zack stood up and dusted himself off his dazed look of surprise sloppily being hid behind the Manticore mask of no emotion. 

Sketchy was hooting up on the bar and had gone back to standing his bike on it's front wheel. He set the bike down on the bar and raised his hands high above his head. "Woohoo! I won! I actually beat him!" He leaned over to high five Herbal and Sketchy and his bike toppled off the bar. "Next rounds on Zack. Ouch!" He hit the floor hard. 

Herbal and Original Cindy Sketchy back to his feet while another messenger took the bikes back outside. 

Max who was still laughing leaned over and hugged Shade. Shade flinched and shrunk in on herself pulling away from Max as Zack approached her. 

"What did you call me?" Zack growled swallowing a smile and frowning lightly for emphasis. 

"U-Uncle Zack, sir." Shade stammered.

"Don't call me sir Shade you know better then that." This time Zack couldn't hide his smile. 

"Was that wrong S-Zack?" Shade swallowed hard.

"No." Zack shook his head and laid down the money on the bar for the next round of drinks. "Uncle Zack." Zack ruffled Shade's hair. "I like the sound of that."

"Why would you call your older brother uncle?" Sketchy asked.

"Because he's only her half brother." Max said thinking on her feet.

"Because they don't have to answer to you." Original Cindy interjected.

"Because Sketchy you're drunk and nothing makes sense to you right now." Zack stated simply. 

Herbal laughed and added in his accented voice. "You got dat right mon."

"Whatever." Sketchy shook his head hard and slurred his words. "You owe us a round of beers." He leaned past Shade to point his finger in Zack's face again.

By now Zack wanted to break that damn finger. Instead he leaned over and pointed to the money he had laid out on the counter and the bartender held up a full pitcher of beer. 

"Sketchy it's already taken care of." Zack forced a smile to appear on his face. "I'm a big enough man to know when I've been beaten at my own game."


	6. Security Breach

****

"We must have gone a zillion clicks out of our way from Logan's by now." Shade spoke up. 

She had fallen in to step with Max and Zack while walking between the two of them.

They had just dropped off Sketchy, Herbal and Original Cindy in that order. Max had done that on purpose just so that Shade could get acquainted with where Max actually lived. 

"You complaining soldier?" Max joked.

"No Ma'am." Shade shot her answer back.

"You tired soldier?" Zack questioned.

"Sir, no sir." Shade quickened her pace forcing the group to speed up with her. The three kept in step with her as they walked down the street. Shade turned to Max yet never slowed her pace.

"So your friend Original Cindy is a prototype?"

"A what?" Max choked a little.

"Like the first in a line of clones. There has to be other Cindy's out there for her name to be what it is." 

"No." Max shook her head.

"What do you mean Shade?" Zack was always looking for clarification.

"Like how Ben was a prototype for X5-494. And by the time Max and Krit came out of their watcher stages some of you were prototypes for the second X5 series. And all of you were prototypes for the second X7 series. The first set of X7's had to spend all their time tank bound and got scrapped so clones of you became the second set of the series." Shade explained. 

"What?" Max said as both her and Zack stopped in their tracks.

"That was all part of my history lessons. Always know where you came from." Shade repeated a lesson she'd heard numerous times before.

Max simply shook her head and started walking again. "Manticore was majorly cracked."

Zack sighed and shook his head falling into step with Max and Shade. "Something's I'd rather just never have to know."

The three walked in sync in contemplative silence until they turned from the main street into a smaller alley. Shade slowed her pace a little as the three started down the narrow alleyway. At first neither Max or Zack realized what she was doing. Zack turned again about to ask if the child was tired but Max grabbed his arm and shook her head no. Shade had fallen back about ten feet from them and Max realized that she was establishing a safety perimeter. Max hear it too and it made the hair on the back of her neck just above her barcode stand on end. Max gave Zack the hand signal to listen/ Zack's body tensed as he tuned his hearing in, he heard it too. They were being followed!

Instinct took over then and Zack began to fall back as well. His objective was to fall back behind Shade, his goal simple and steadfast to preserve the family at all costs. He didn't get far enough back before Shade sprang into action. She had a goal as well, to save the unit and prove her loyalty to her new CO. Max spun on her heals as Shade attacked their tail with an animalistic growl. 

Zack cared only for her well being and screamed out a warning. "Shade no."

But it was too late. The young X8 had gone into full-blown attack mode. It came down to survival of the fittest and Shade was more fit then anyone. She easily flipped the larger man over her shoulder and into the brick wall. She wasted no time in pouncing on top of him and putting him into a move to restrain him. She froze fist poised in the air to knock him out when she realized she knew him. 

"Holly Shit." The man breathed out the words.

Max and Zack had gathered around the squabble for backup but no backup was needed. Max started to laugh.

"Sketchy what the hell were you doing?" Max's voice quickly turned from amusement to anger.

Sketchy looked dazed. "I was following ... I meant to ... well I mean ..."

"Sketchy man calm down." Zack spoke up.

"Calm down? You want me to calm down?" Sketchy raged his voice full of fear, confusion and disbelief. His whole body shook. "Did you see what a little girl; a child did to me? What the hell is she?"

Max blanched and stammered this wasn't something she could easily lie her way out of. How do you explain to a grown man how a six-to-eight year old girl, with no hair, has the strength to throw him across and alley without breaking a sweat. 

Zack made a goofy face and rubbed Shade's head. Sketchy was wasted so he knew he could get away with it. Zack sighed. "You see Sketchy my man; Shade here is a genetically engineered military killing machine. She's a super child who is governmentally controlled for top secret combat missions, because come on who would ever expect a child."

Max and Shade gasped. Sketchy only broke out into hysterical laughter. "Stop playing with me Zack. That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. No really what is she?"

Zack's little diversion had given Max the time she needed. 

"Our father was a military dad. He taught all of us how to defend ourselves. Shade knows Campo and Jujitsu. She's a black belt in Campo and a brown belt in Jujitsu." Max answered. "Plus we've all got a background in gymnastics."

"Oh." Sketchy sat up and rubbed the back of his sore head. "She needs to relax."

"We were raised almost like soldiers." Zack put in. 

"You snuck up on us." Shade said in defense. 

"What were you following us for anyway?" Max helped Sketchy up to his feet. 

Sketchy went into his pocket and pulled out Max's pager and handed it to her. "You left this at my place."

"You've been following us for that long?" Max asked. 

Zack had a sudden feeling that they were all very much out of practice and that he'd have to talk to them all, himself included, about not letting their guard down. 

"Not all the way from when you dropped me off. It took me a while to notice it. I would have missed it all together if it didn't go off." Sketchy took a deep breath and winched. "Original Cindy said you guys had just left your apartment about ten minuets before I got there. Damn you guys walk really fast."

The three X-series relaxed a bit and Max grinned at Sketchy. "Thanks man." She hooked her pager back onto her pants. 

"No problem Max just keep your lil' sis in check next time." Sketchy rubbed Shade's head and then nodded to the others in turn. "Max I'll see you at work on Monday."

Sketchy walked away back in the direction that he had came form. Max slumped and let out a sigh of relief and Zack began a quiet nervous chortle. Shade looked back and forth between the two a look of wary confusion in her young but not so innocent eyes. 

"Sir, I didn't ... We were being tailed, stalked ... Ma'am, I mean I thought ... He was a danger." Shade spat the words out quickly. "I didn't mean to become a threat to our security."

"You fell back on your training." Zack wasn't making excuses for her but simply stating the truth. "He was too trashed to remember any of it anyway."

"Yeah, don't worry about it. Sketchy was so tanked that he'll wake up in the morning with a big bump on the back of his head and have no idea how he got it." Max assured Shade. 

"But if he does remember then you've created a threat to us all." Shade said pointedly her solemn gaze turning to Zack. 

Zack closed his eyes for a brief moment. "It would seem that I broke my own highest priority rule and I'll have to deal with it and him personally."

"Don't worry about Sketchy if he's a problem, it's mine." Max said.

"A problem that I may or may not have created." Zack swore and shook his head. 

Shade stopped where she was and turned to face both of them. "It was my fault!" She screamed. "I attacked him before I identified him. I was wrong!"

Max stood with her mouth wide open. Never since she had met the girl had she seen such ruthless aggression or raw emotion pour out of her.

Zack stopped in his tracks and stiffened. "It was not your fault soldier. You don't feel safe with us. That's my fault. I've gone soft and I've failed you both." Zack shook his head in self-disgust. 

"Sir, no sir, you didn't fail us. Uncle Zack it is my fault. It was instinct to protect the unit. That was always my job. As SIC you have to protect the unit and your CO at all costs. If the CO falls all unit responsibility as well as the responsibility of his expiration is yours to bear alone." Shade's eyes had taken on the glazed over look. She was reciting something that had been conditioned into her. 

Zack shook his head. "No Shade you're part of my family now. My main objective is to preserve the family at all costs. If I ever fall my responsibilities fall to Max."

"If I fall or become compromised then there are all of out ten brothers and sisters who would take that responsibility before it became yours." Max added.

"And then Logan too?" Shade questioned.

"Yes Logan last before you." Zack nodded. "You want to swing by a payphone and see what he wanted?" Zack asked turning to Max and trying to change the subject.

"Nah, Logan usually try's to explode my pager for every little thing. This can't be that important. He probably just wants to know when were getting back. He's just worried because Shade is with us and all. We're almost there anyway. I'm sure whatever it is can wait."

"I like Logan." Shade spoke up softly for the first time since her little outburst and her eyes took on a glint of childish admiration. 

Max grinned. "So do I."

* * * *

"Drop the phone." She said sternly standing just behind Logan.

Logan did ad he was told. She had shown up in his apartment as long as an hour ago. How long he didn't know. Logan had felt a change in the air but she had only shown herself as a shadowy figure a few minuets before now. She had scared the hell out of Logan with a simple word.

"Hey." Logan who had been working at the computer had jumped sky high at the sound of the stern foreign voice at a time where he had been sure he was alone. 

He turned to see a woman clad in the shadows and he couldn't help but chuckle over the feeling of Deja vu that it produced. It was the sneaking, the stealth and the stance she stood in that gave it all away. She was definitely an X-series. So Logan had to let her come around herself. 

"Where is he?" She stepped out of the shadows. She had hair that at its longest point fell just below her rear. Hair which faded from Neon orange at the top, to hot pink to violet and then a dark blue at the very tips. Her eyes held the animalistic dazed glint of fear and confusion.

He? Logan chorted. He must have been Zack. "He and Max should be back soon."

At the sound of their name's She seemed to calm a bit.

"I'll page her if you like." Logan picked up the phone and that was where they were now. "Drop the phone. I have no reason to trust you."

Logan put down the phone and turned to stare at her. She seemed to shrink back under his gaze and she sat down Indian style on the far corner of the couch.

"My name is Logan C_"

"There's no need for introductions Sugar Daddy Cale. I know who you are." She snapped.

"Max and I just work together." Logan answered.

"Whatever gets you to sleep at night." She shrugged and shifted her position slightly. She was wearing a short black tank top and low ridding tight blue jeans. Her left eyebrow was pierced twice and a half hoop with a studded ball on one side and a swinging cat figure on the other side sat in her bellybutton. Inconspicuous she wasn't. 

"It seems that this puts you at an unfair advantage Ma'am." Logan said softly. "What's your name?"

"Don't call me Ma'am." She shuddered. She sighed her eyes darting around the room warily. "Candy."

Logan nodded. "Nice to meet you." It was no doubt an alias. Max had no sisters named Candy that Logan knew about. Unless she was on of the X5 that was still on the wrong side of the fence. If she was on a mission, no, They didn't know about Shade. And if she was on a mission she didn't seem hostile towards him. Logan didn't know what would happen when the others got back but he had no choice but to wait for them to return. 

"Do you mind?" She produced a pack of cigarettes from her coat still not meeting Logan's gaze and nervously chewed on her bottom lip. 

"No." Logan was on the move again. "Let me get you an ashtray." Always be the gracious host even when facing the unknown.

The second that he moved Candy was on her feet behind him. "Nice and slow." She said softly as Logan reached into one of his desk draws. Once she saw it was only an ashtray he was after her tune changed. "Would you like one?"

"No thank you." Logan said handing her the ashtray.

She snatched it out of his hand and went back to her post on the couch. She sat Indian style in the corner farthest from Logan. She seemed to have staken a claim to that spot. She eyed Logan and then pulled a black cigarette from the pack. It was what was pre-pulse called a clove. The spice called clove the same thing you put in a baked ham, were ground up and mixed in with the tobacco. When the smoker licked their lips they tasted a mixture of strong spice and cherries. She lit the end of the clove that sparked, crackled and popped. Blue black lips framed the black cigarette and from where Logan sat all he could see were those lips, a glowing ember and those haunting doe eyes. The room filled with a sweat smelling smoke and the two sat back and waited for the other X's to return. 


End file.
